Toyota all but locks sales crown for 2012, dumping GM

Toyota, which has roared back from crippling disasters last year, padded it sales lead over General Motors in the first half and looks to be a lock to retake the title of world's largest automaker from GM for 2012.

Both automakers reported first-half sales today and the Associated Press reports that Toyota in Tokyo announced sales of 4.97 million vehicles globally in the half, 300,000 more than GM at 4.67 million.

That pads to a virtually unbeatable gap the lead Toyota took in the first quarter with sales of 2.49 million cars and trucks worldwide vs. 2.28 million for GM, the AP reports. GM had been the world's largest automaker since the 1930s before being passed by Toyota in 2008.

Volkswagen, which has made a corporate goal of passing both GM and Toyota to be No. 1 by 2018, earlier reported first-half sales of 4.45 million to be in third.

Last year, VW also passed Toyota to finish second, as Toyota production was crippled first by the tsunami in Japan and then by the floods in Thailand.

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About Chris Woodyard

Chris Woodyard is an auto writer for USA TODAY who covers all aspects of motoring. He revels in the exhaust note of a Maserati and the sharp creases of a Cadillac CTS. Chris strives to live a Porsche life on a Scion budget. More about Chris